George Shuffler
Encyclopedia
George Shuffler is an innovative bluegrass
guitar player and an early practitioner of the crosspicking
style. During his career Shuffler played with The Bailey Brothers
, The Stanley Brothers
and Ralph Stanley
's Clinch Mountain Boys. He was a 2007 recipient of the North Carolina Heritage Award and in 2011 was elected to the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
singing schools in Valdese. Shuffler's affinity for music grew and at age twelve his father traded an old broken down car for a Kalamazoo guitar. There were very few guitars in North Carolina at that time, and Shuffler had only become interested in them through radio shows broadcast out of far-away cities like Cincinnati. Shuffler found out that one of his neighbors, Jack Smith, knew some chords on a guitar, and so he tracked him down. Smith showed him three chords, G, C, and D. Shuffler went home that night practicing the three chords over and over, afraid that he would forget them. When he got home his mother was singing an old song called, "Birmingham Jail", and Shuffler started accompanying her, encouraging her to sing until she was hoarse.
Over the next few months Shuffler practiced his three chords, and made up others whenever he needed them. Another of Shuffler's neighbors had a guitar and invited him to come pick with him. At first, Shuffler was afraid, thinking that his homemade chords would make him look foolish, but he soon discovered that they were the same shapes his more experienced neighbor was making. Emboldened by this experience, Shuffler practiced in his spare time, and soon learned to play the bass as well. When his father traded the guitar for a new pistol, Shuffler went out and purchased a new one with his carefully saved money.
and Mother Maybelle Carter, the two most popular country music
guitarists. Shuffler played in local talent shows, and played in sang in local churches. One night, right after the end of WWII, Shuffler went to Granite Falls
to see the Bailey Brothers, and when their backup band didn't show, he volunteered to play bass for them. Danny and Charlie Bailey were so impressed by his playing that when their bass player did show up, they let him go in favor of Shuffler. They offered him sixty dollars a week to come with them to Nashville to play on the Grand Ole Opry radio show. Since this was double the pay he was making at the mill for better work Shuffler immediately accepted.
Over the next few years Shuffler played with different groups all over North Carolina and Tennessee, then in 1950 Shuffler was contacted by Carter Stanley
about playing in a group with himself and his brother Ralph. For the next eighteen years Shuffler played on and off as a member of the Stanley Brothers, and the Stanley's other band, the Clinch Mountain Boys. Now regarded as one of the earliest and most important bluegrass bands, times were not always easy for the young musicians. One year, money was so tight the Ralph Stanley
sold off his whole herd of cattle to keep the band going, and Shuffler quit the band on several occasions, only to be lured back by raises of fifteen or twenty dollars. During good times the band had lots of instruments, including a guitar and a banjo played by Carter and Ralph, Shuffler's guitar and occasional bass playing, a full time bassist, mandolin player, and fiddler. During many of the lean times the band was composed of just Ralph and Carter Stanley, and George Shuffler. This sparse playing arrangement led to the development of George Shuffler's now famous crosspicking
style.
. When Ralph and Carter played their slow songs there were long pauses at the end of every line, during which they would be catching their breath for the next line. During these pauses Shuffler had to take every break, and at the time the only two guitar styles were scratch/Mother Maybelle Carter's style, and Travis style. Travis style could keep the rhythm, but sounded repetitive during breaks, while scratch style could play lead but lost the rhythm. Shuffler created a style that allowed him to keep the rhythm and play a lead melody at the same time. This style was crosspicking, the guitar equivalent of a banjo roll. In the style the player used a flat pick to play three or more strings in sequence, which mixed a basic melody with fill notes to provide rhythm (two strokes down and one up). This created a flurry of eighth notes which perfectly filled the breaks, and allowed Shuffler to keep the rhythm with the melody. This style has since become one of the most important guitar styles in bluegrass
, as important in the genre as flamenco is to Spanish guitar, or shuffles are to early rock and roll. While in early bluegrass the guitar was regarded as a novelty item, almost every modern bluegrass band has a lead guitar player.
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
guitar player and an early practitioner of the crosspicking
Crosspicking
Crosspicking is a technique for playing the mandolin or guitar using a plectrum or flatpick in a rolling, syncopated style across three strings. This style is probably best known as one element of the flatpicking style in bluegrass music, and it closely resembles a banjo roll, the main difference...
style. During his career Shuffler played with The Bailey Brothers
The Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys
The Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys are an American bluegrass act widely considered to be among the first to cultivate the duo harmony vocal technique widely used in modern bluegrass music today . Charlie Bailey began his musical career in 1936...
, The Stanley Brothers
The Stanley Brothers
The Stanley Brothers were an American bluegrass duo made up of brothers Carter and Ralph Stanley.-Biography:Carter and Ralph Stanley hailed originally from Dickenson County, Virginia. The family soon moved to McClure, Virginia where their parents worked a small farm in the Clinch Mountains...
and Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley , also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing.-Biography:...
's Clinch Mountain Boys. He was a 2007 recipient of the North Carolina Heritage Award and in 2011 was elected to the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
Early years
As was the case with many southern musicians, Shuffler's first experience with music was when he attended shape noteShape note
Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. The notation, introduced in 1801, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools...
singing schools in Valdese. Shuffler's affinity for music grew and at age twelve his father traded an old broken down car for a Kalamazoo guitar. There were very few guitars in North Carolina at that time, and Shuffler had only become interested in them through radio shows broadcast out of far-away cities like Cincinnati. Shuffler found out that one of his neighbors, Jack Smith, knew some chords on a guitar, and so he tracked him down. Smith showed him three chords, G, C, and D. Shuffler went home that night practicing the three chords over and over, afraid that he would forget them. When he got home his mother was singing an old song called, "Birmingham Jail", and Shuffler started accompanying her, encouraging her to sing until she was hoarse.
Over the next few months Shuffler practiced his three chords, and made up others whenever he needed them. Another of Shuffler's neighbors had a guitar and invited him to come pick with him. At first, Shuffler was afraid, thinking that his homemade chords would make him look foolish, but he soon discovered that they were the same shapes his more experienced neighbor was making. Emboldened by this experience, Shuffler practiced in his spare time, and soon learned to play the bass as well. When his father traded the guitar for a new pistol, Shuffler went out and purchased a new one with his carefully saved money.
Musical career
Over time Shuffler began to develop a reputation as a good guitar and bass player. He played the guitar in the fashion of Merle TravisMerle Travis
Merle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
and Mother Maybelle Carter, the two most popular country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
guitarists. Shuffler played in local talent shows, and played in sang in local churches. One night, right after the end of WWII, Shuffler went to Granite Falls
Granite Falls
Granite Falls can refer to:United States*Granite Falls, Minnesota*Granite Falls Township, Chippewa County, Minnesota*Granite Falls, North Carolina*Granite Falls, WashingtonCanada*Granite Falls...
to see the Bailey Brothers, and when their backup band didn't show, he volunteered to play bass for them. Danny and Charlie Bailey were so impressed by his playing that when their bass player did show up, they let him go in favor of Shuffler. They offered him sixty dollars a week to come with them to Nashville to play on the Grand Ole Opry radio show. Since this was double the pay he was making at the mill for better work Shuffler immediately accepted.
Over the next few years Shuffler played with different groups all over North Carolina and Tennessee, then in 1950 Shuffler was contacted by Carter Stanley
Carter Stanley
Carter Glen Stanley was a bluegrass music lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitar player. He formed the Stanley Brothers band together with his brother Ralph. The Stanley Brothers are generally acknowledged as the first band after Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys to play in the bluegrass genre...
about playing in a group with himself and his brother Ralph. For the next eighteen years Shuffler played on and off as a member of the Stanley Brothers, and the Stanley's other band, the Clinch Mountain Boys. Now regarded as one of the earliest and most important bluegrass bands, times were not always easy for the young musicians. One year, money was so tight the Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley , also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing.-Biography:...
sold off his whole herd of cattle to keep the band going, and Shuffler quit the band on several occasions, only to be lured back by raises of fifteen or twenty dollars. During good times the band had lots of instruments, including a guitar and a banjo played by Carter and Ralph, Shuffler's guitar and occasional bass playing, a full time bassist, mandolin player, and fiddler. During many of the lean times the band was composed of just Ralph and Carter Stanley, and George Shuffler. This sparse playing arrangement led to the development of George Shuffler's now famous crosspicking
Crosspicking
Crosspicking is a technique for playing the mandolin or guitar using a plectrum or flatpick in a rolling, syncopated style across three strings. This style is probably best known as one element of the flatpicking style in bluegrass music, and it closely resembles a banjo roll, the main difference...
style.
Later years
Shuffler eventually quit the music business "for good," and when his wife Sue expressed her incredulity at the idea, he sold all of his instruments to prove he was really done. A few years later he heard his daughters sing a gospel song at church, and as he had grown increasingly religious since leaving bluegrass, he decided to form a family gospel band. He released a few gospel albums, and had a big hit "When I Receive My Robe and Crown," which stayed on the gospel charts for eleven months. Shuffler currently lives in Valdese and still plays both bluegrass and gospel.Musical style
"It was just out of necessity," was how George Shuffler described the birth of crosspickingCrosspicking
Crosspicking is a technique for playing the mandolin or guitar using a plectrum or flatpick in a rolling, syncopated style across three strings. This style is probably best known as one element of the flatpicking style in bluegrass music, and it closely resembles a banjo roll, the main difference...
. When Ralph and Carter played their slow songs there were long pauses at the end of every line, during which they would be catching their breath for the next line. During these pauses Shuffler had to take every break, and at the time the only two guitar styles were scratch/Mother Maybelle Carter's style, and Travis style. Travis style could keep the rhythm, but sounded repetitive during breaks, while scratch style could play lead but lost the rhythm. Shuffler created a style that allowed him to keep the rhythm and play a lead melody at the same time. This style was crosspicking, the guitar equivalent of a banjo roll. In the style the player used a flat pick to play three or more strings in sequence, which mixed a basic melody with fill notes to provide rhythm (two strokes down and one up). This created a flurry of eighth notes which perfectly filled the breaks, and allowed Shuffler to keep the rhythm with the melody. This style has since become one of the most important guitar styles in bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, as important in the genre as flamenco is to Spanish guitar, or shuffles are to early rock and roll. While in early bluegrass the guitar was regarded as a novelty item, almost every modern bluegrass band has a lead guitar player.
Discography
- Various Albums http://www.amazon.com/George-Shuffler/e/B000APKBM2
- With the Stanley Brothers http://www.amazon.com/The-Stanley-Brothers/e/B000APHAB2
See also
- The Stanley BrothersThe Stanley BrothersThe Stanley Brothers were an American bluegrass duo made up of brothers Carter and Ralph Stanley.-Biography:Carter and Ralph Stanley hailed originally from Dickenson County, Virginia. The family soon moved to McClure, Virginia where their parents worked a small farm in the Clinch Mountains...
- Clinch Mountain Boys
- Bluegrass musicBluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
- CrosspickingCrosspickingCrosspicking is a technique for playing the mandolin or guitar using a plectrum or flatpick in a rolling, syncopated style across three strings. This style is probably best known as one element of the flatpicking style in bluegrass music, and it closely resembles a banjo roll, the main difference...
- FlatpickingFlatpickingFlatpicking is a technique for playing a guitar using a guitar pick held between two or three fingers to strike the strings...
- Lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...